Ants are most commonly found in most parts of the world. They have been around for over 100 million years, and there are more than 12,000 types of ants that live on every continent except Antarctica.
Some people love them, while others hate them because they can be a nuisance to gardens and crops with their eating habits.
Some of these ants are dangerous even. This can either be because of their venom, or because of their ability to spread diseases.
In this article, we will discuss the 13 most dangerous ants in the world. Read on to find out!
Also read: Why do ants bite?
Bulldog Ants
The most dangerous ants in the world (according to Guinness World Records) are called Bulldog Ants. They live in Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand where most people will never encounter them.
The bulldog ant is responsible for the death of 3 people (since 1936).
Siafu Ants
These insects live in Central and East Africa, however, they can be found across most of sub-Saharan Africa. They are known for their extremely painful stings that cause anaphylactic shock which is often fatal to humans. Despite the pain associated with being bitten by a Siafu ant, they are most dangerous to livestock such as cattle and goats.
Pony Ants
Pony Ants are known for being extremely aggressive. However, they are also called “cow killer” ants because the sting of these insects is so powerful that it was believed it could kill a cow.
They belong to the genus Myrmecia and most likely originated from Australia. This species has one of the most toxic venoms among all stinging insects. It contains two peptides named mypacidin B which induces spasms in mammal nerve cells and myotoxin II [1] that facilitates the destruction of muscle tissue.
Fire Ants
Fire ants are very dangerous because they can sting multiple times. They have a toxic venom that is most harmful to allergic individuals or humans who are hypersensitive, which includes infants and the elderly.
It’s important to know what fire ants look like so you can identify them before getting stung!
Also read: Can fire ants kill you?
Bullet Ants
Some of the most dangerous ants in the world are bullet ants. This is because these types of ants have their own unique way to attack people. When a bullet ant bites, it feels like being shot by a gun (hence the name).
Also read: Where do bullet ants live?
Florida Harvester Ant
The Florida harvester ant is one of the types of ants that’ll invade your home. This is dangerous to trees and to wooden structures, but they don’t (usually) pose a threat to your health.
Their bites can be extremely painful though, as they are equipped with formic acid, that they can spray into a bite wound after the initial bite.
It’s best not to disturb this type of ant if you see them in or around your home because they don’t have nests but rather forage for food throughout different areas.
This means that they may follow certain trails back to where they came from instead of attacking the site which makes them even more difficult to deal with when trying to remove an infestation at its source location.
On average most colonies range between five thousand and ninety-nine thousand insects most commonly found in the southernmost regions of Florida. These ants are most active during the spring and summer months but can be seen all year round depending on weather conditions, humidity levels, rainfall rates, etc.
Bullhorn Acacia Ant
Bullhorn acacia ants are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. These most dangerous ants forage in small groups at night but can also be found during the day when their nests are disturbed.
They will sting humans if threatened or stepped on with enough force to cause severe pain, swelling, fever, and vomiting.
When stung by bull-horned ants most people feel like they have been burnt with fire which has led many to call these most dangerous ants ‘fire ants’. Their venom is similar to wasp venom so it causes a lot of itching as well.
Green Tree Ants
These ants are most commonly found in Australia. They love the rainforest canopy most of all, where their colonies tend to be quite big with thousands of workers living in them.
Their venom is strong enough to cause dizziness but it’s not deadly for humans most oftentimes. However, they do like biting which can lead to infections if ant saliva gets into open wounds or scratches that break the skin surface. If you’re allergic, then it could potentially result in anaphylactic shock so beware when these little guys come about.
Jack Jumper Ants
The Jack Jumper Ants are also among the most dangerous ants. They can grow up to an inch long, but their most distinguishing feature is the jump they do when provoked or chasing after prey.
This species of ant lives in colonies with multiple queens and nests that can be several feet deep. The Jack Jumper Ants will eat anything smaller than them, including other insects as well as small mammals like lizards or mice if it gets too close to its nest.
These creatures have strong pincers which give off a painful bite for any unsuspecting human who might get caught between them without knowing what they’re doing there!
Jack Jumper Ants are the most dangerous ants because they attack humans by surprise and have very powerful jaws made even more deadly because most humans don’t know what they’re doing there.
Red Harvester Ants
Found in desert areas, these creatures are known for their painful bites which can cause anaphylactic shock and even death to some victims. They have one of the most powerful stings ever recorded on Earth with reports saying that it feels like being hit by a bullet or burning fire.
The Red Harvester ant has long pincers with two stingers attached underneath them near its mouthparts. These insects tend to bite humans when they feel threatened but not if you leave them alone.
Army Ants
Army ants can be found all over Africa, Asia, Australia, and most of America. Army Ants don’t build nests as most other species do; they simply lay their eggs anywhere that is dry with enough room for them to hatch.
Safari Ants
One of the most venomous ants in the world is without a doubt African safari ants. These black and red creatures emit low levels of toxins that cause paralysis and in most cases, death within hours after being stung by them.
The average lifespan for these ants is only about six months to one year but they do have an interesting defense mechanism against predators such as lions or other bigger animals attacking it.
When threatened, the ant raises its abdomen towards the predator which causes yellow liquid from their glands to squirt out into eyes causing temporary blindness of attackers. This gives them enough time to escape before losing their life!
Pharaoh Ants
Amongst the top contenders, we have pharaoh ants. These little insects can be found almost everywhere. They usually live indoors and love to eat sweets like honeydew melons or fruits juice because they have an extremely sweet tooth for this type of food.
While pharaoh ants aren’t dangerous because of their bites, they’re incredibly good at spreading diseases and pathogens (compared to other ants).
This makes them especially dangerous at hospitals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Most Deadly Ant?
Some of the most dangerous ants include bullet ants because their sting is said to be more painful than a gunshot and siafu ants, which also have a very venomous sting.
What to Do When Bitten by a Dangerous Ant?
If you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation where an ant bit you, there are plenty of things to consider. Some ants have venom that can be very harmful and the most important thing is to figure out which kind of ant it was. Knowing what kind of ant has bitten you will help your doctor with treatment options. There is no need for panic when being attacked by a dangerous insect – most bites from insects do not lead to death so getting medical attention quickly enough should stop any possible complications from occurring.